What a decade for Cubs baseball, which is exactly what it was. In 1902, noting the youth movement lead by new manager Frank Selee, a local newspaper penned the nickname Cubs for the first time. The moniker prevailed over time and was officially adopted by the club in 1907. It is currently one of the longest running-and most beloved-alias' in all of sports. The team, after moving around to different parks during the previous century, found a home at the West Side Grounds, their home from 1893-1915.

The organization enjoyed the most successful decade in its history, posting in 1906 all-time major league records for wins in a season (116) and winning percentage (.763) en route to their first pennant of the 20th century. The only all-Chicago World Series was played; the White Sox winning four games to two. Spurned on by this loss, the team, in 1907, wins its second consecutive National League pennant -- by 17 games -- under player-manager Frank Chance.

The Cubs won their first World Series, defeating the Detroit Tigers and Ty Cobb, four games to two. They followed this up the next year by winning their second consecutive World Championship, repeating their World Series victory over Detroit, this time four games to one. In 1908 pitcher Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown wins 29 games, setting a team record (since 1900) that stands today. He finished the decade with 135 victories, 716 strikeouts and a 1.51 ERA. The double-play combination of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance is on its way to baseball immortality, inspiring a "sad lexicon" written by Franklin Pierce, a writer with the New York Times:

"These are the saddest of possible words ... Tinker to Evers to Chance ... A trio of bear Cubs and fleeter than birds ... Tinker to Evers to Chance ... Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble ... Making a Giant hit into a double ... Words that are weighty with nothing but trouble ... Tinker to Evers to Chance."

September 26, 1908: Ed Reulbach becomes only pitcher to toss two complete-game shutouts on same day, vs. Dodgers. A few weeks later, on October 14, the Cubs become the first team to win back-to-back World Series when they defeat Detroit, four games to one.

October 14, 1908: Cubs become first team to win back-to-back World Series, beating Detroit.